Strategic Planning in a Rapidly Changing World

At a recent conference we asked business executives how many of them run their business today the same way they did five years ago and, as expected, no one raised their hand. So we asked them what if they were still running their business the same way today? One executive said "We would be out of business!" Another said "We would be losing ground and risk becoming irrelevant." In short, everyone said that their industry and market space is constantly changing and the pressure to stay ahead or even keep up gets greater every day.

Consequently, some business owners and executives wonder why they should bother to plan ahead when so much is changing. However, astute leaders still see the wisdom and necessity of preparing for the future and, in some cases, creating their own future even though it may sometimes seem elusive and unpredictable. These individuals develop long-term plans but also understand what parts of their plan need to include a degree of agility and flexibility as conditions change. As Dwight D. Eisenhower once observed, "In preparing for battle, I have found battle plans to be useless but planning to be indispensable."

How is the competitive landscape changing your business and industry? Maintaining a clear focus and sense of direction can be difficult especially in a rapidly changing world where the opportunities and risks facing a business are not always obvious and yesterday's strong track record is no guarantee of tomorrow's success. As Hamel and Prahalad cautioned in their best-selling book, Competing for the Future, "Companies must develop competitive advantages faster than the competition imitates the ones they possess today."

Most organizations who develop a strategic plan also see the value in using an independent, experienced facilitator to guide their team through the process. Over the years we've developed a proprietary planning process and assisted dozens of organizations in their strategic planning and decision-making process to create a true strategic plan that enables everyone to become aligned and help the organization move forward and get results.

Our strategic planning process is flexible and can be customized to fit your unique needs regardless of your organization's size, industry, competitive position, or the experience of your planning team. For more information about our planning process and how it can benefit your organization, feel free to send us an email or call us at 717.232.1515.